Isaiah 52

The Lord's Coming Salvation

52 Awake, awake,put on your strength, O Zion;put on your beautiful garments,O Jerusalem, the holy city;for there shall no more come into youthe uncircumcised and the unclean.2 Shake yourself from the dust and arise;be seated, O Jerusalem;loose the bonds from your neck,O captive daughter of Zion.

3 For thus says the Lord: “You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.” 4 For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. 5 Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord, “and continually all the day my name is despised. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.”

7 How beautiful upon the mountainsare the feet of him who brings good news,who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,who publishes salvation,who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;together they sing for joy;for eye to eye they seethe return of the Lord to Zion.9 Break forth together into singing,you waste places of Jerusalem,for the Lord has comforted his people;he has redeemed Jerusalem.10 The Lord has bared his holy armbefore the eyes of all the nations,and all the ends of the earth shall seethe salvation of our God.

11 Depart, depart, go out from there;touch no unclean thing;go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves,you who bear the vessels of the Lord.12 For you shall not go out in haste,and you shall not go in flight,for the Lord will go before you,and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

He Was Pierced for Our Transgressions

13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;he shall be high and lifted up,and shall be exalted.14 As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—15 so shall he sprinkle many nations;kings shall shut their mouths because of him;for that which has not been told them they see,and that which they have not heard they understand.

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us?And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,and like a root out of dry ground;he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;and as one from whom men hide their faceshe was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefsand carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken,smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his wounds we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray;we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the Lord has laid on himthe iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,yet he opened not his mouth;like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,so he opened not his mouth.8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living,stricken for the transgression of my people?9 And they made his grave with the wickedand with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence,and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;he has put him to grief;when his soul makes an offering for guilt,he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,make many to be accounted righteous,and he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,because he poured out his soul to deathand was numbered with the transgressors;yet he bore the sin of many,and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 54

The Eternal Covenant of Peace

1 “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;break forth into singing and cry aloud,you who have not been in labor!For the children of the desolate one will be morethan the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;do not hold back; lengthen your cordsand strengthen your stakes.3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,and your offspring will possess the nationsand will people the desolate cities.

4 “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;for you will forget the shame of your youth,and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.5 For your Maker is your husband,the Lord of hosts is his name;and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,the God of the whole earth he is called.6 For the Lord has called youlike a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,like a wife of youth when she is cast off,says your God.7 For a brief moment I deserted you,but with great compassion I will gather you.8 In overflowing anger for a momentI hid my face from you,but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”says the Lord, your Redeemer.

9 “This is like the days of Noah to me:as I swore that the waters of Noahshould no more go over the earth,so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,and will not rebuke you.10 For the mountains may departand the hills be removed,but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

11 “O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,behold, I will set your stones in antimony,and lay your foundations with sapphires.12 I will make your pinnacles of agate,your gates of carbuncles,and all your wall of precious stones.13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord,and great shall be the peace of your children.14 In righteousness you shall be established;you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;and from terror, for it shall not come near you.15 If anyone stirs up strife,it is not from me;whoever stirs up strife with youshall fall because of you.16 Behold, I have created the smithwho blows the fire of coalsand produces a weapon for its purpose.I have also created the ravager to destroy;17 no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.This is the heritage of the servants of the Lordand their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

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Psalm 119: 97-128

Mem

97 Oh how I love your law!It is my meditation all the day.98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,for it is ever with me.99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,for your testimonies are my meditation.100 I understand more than the aged,for I keep your precepts.101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,in order to keep your word.102 I do not turn aside from your rules,for you have taught me.103 How sweet are your words to my taste,sweeter than honey to my mouth!104 Through your precepts I get understanding;therefore I hate every false way.

Nun

105 Your word is a lamp to my feetand a light to my path.106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,to keep your righteous rules.107 I am severely afflicted;give me life, O Lord, according to your word!108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord,and teach me your rules.109 I hold my life in my hand continually,but I do not forget your law.110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,but I do not stray from your precepts.111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever,for they are the joy of my heart.112 I incline my heart to perform your statutesforever, to the end.

Samekh

113 I hate the double-minded,but I love your law.114 You are my hiding place and my shield;I hope in your word.115 Depart from me, you evildoers,that I may keep the commandments of my God.116 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,and let me not be put to shame in my hope!117 Hold me up, that I may be safeand have regard for your statutes continually!118 You spurn all who go astray from your statutes,for their cunning is in vain.119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross,therefore I love your testimonies.120 My flesh trembles for fear of you,and I am afraid of your judgments.

Ayin

121 I have done what is just and right;do not leave me to my oppressors.122 Give your servant a pledge of good;let not the insolent oppress me.123 My eyes long for your salvationand for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,and teach me your statutes.125 I am your servant; give me understanding,that I may know your testimonies!126 It is time for the Lord to act,for your law has been broken.127 Therefore I love your commandmentsabove gold, above fine gold.128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;I hate every false way.